Not my World, Not my War
by ProphetSeeker
Summary: Getting trapped in a world of witches, wizards, and phoenixes was definitely NOT part of Riku's plan to save Sora's memories, nor was getting involved in a war between said witches and wizards. Nevertheless, Riku finds himself inducted in the mysterious 'Order of the Phoenix', and forced to fight for a world that is not his own.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Unknown Power

The dark figure moved with unnatural speed. His purposeful strides spoke power and determination. Completely enclosed within a black coat and hood, his face was shrouded in shadow.

'_Time is running out' _the figure thought to himself. _'Soon I'll be forced to face Roxas in order to regain the rest of Sora's memories.'_ For once the cloaked teen known as Riku didn't have faith that his power would be sufficient to accomplish this task. That was what brought him to the world of Hollow Bastion. Riku halted his movement when he reached a cliff overlooking a plain known only as the Dark Depths, painful memories of his last visit to this world resurfacing. _'This is where I fully gave in to the darkness. This is where I fought my best friend. This is where I let HIM in.'_

At this thought Riku felt a sinister presence stirring in his heart. Instinctively placing a black gloved hand over his chest, Riku clenched his teeth and immediately beat down the interloper, causing him to retreat to the deepest parts of his heart once more. Feeling a measure of security, Riku now took the time to survey his location. Across the plain lied a dilapidated old castle that Riku payed little mind to. His primary concern was the plain itself, or rather, what was on the plain.

'_Diz better not have sent me on a wild goose chase.'_ But somehow, Riku knew this time was different. He could feel the anomalous energy nearby. A nexus of unknown power had sprung up in Hollow Bastion.

These sorts of things were not entirely unheard of, but the reasons behind them were often varied and inconsistent. There was no telling where this nexus came from or what it would do to those that came in contact with it. But according to the natives Riku had overheard upon his arrival, the heartless were too multiplied in that area for examination and research of the nexus to take place. Luckily, these manifestations of hearts swallowed by darkness posed no threat to Riku, for he walked in darkness as well.

As he approached the wild energy Riku noticed that it seemed to be at conflict with itself. In fact, Riku could sense both immense light and powerful darkness within the nexus.

'_How peculiar'_ Riku mused, taking another step toward the nexus. The bigger question, however, was whether he would be able to successfully absorb the power of these forces, thereby amplifying his own abilities. Riku was amused by the irony of the situation. _'You'd think after all the foolish and reckless things I've done to grab more power I'd think twice before stepping into an energy field full of chaotic energies'. _At this the teen took a step back, but then he heard it, music so beautiful and wondrous that the air itself seemed to listen. For Riku, it seemed to fill his body with warmth and comfort. He couldn't explain it, but somehow he felt that he could trust the music, that it wouldn't harm him. All other thoughts pushed from his head, Riku strode into the nexus.

Far away in a graveyard in Little Hangleton, Harry Potter gave his arm an almighty wrench, and the connection between his wand and Voldemort's was shattered.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Rough Landing

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kingdom Hearts**

Riku knew as soon as he stepped in that something was wrong. The music had immediately ceased and the conflicting energies of light and darkness seemed to explode apart. Suddenly, Riku felt as if every cell in his body was being pulled in a different direction than the others. Quickly suppressing the desire to panic, he quickly garnered all his considerable power and concentrated entirely on holding his body together. His surroundings vanished, and Riku felt the somewhat frightening sensation of falling for a very long while.

He seemed to fall through light and darkness itself, the almighty forces moving within and without him. Despite all his power, however, Riku knew he couldn't keep this up for very long. Every fiber of his being burned in an invisible fire. His chest felt like it was being gripped by a thousand hands, all trying to tear it to shreds. Then, just as the strain of keeping his body together began to overwhelm him, the world seemed to rematerialize. He crashed into the ground with such force that he thought for sure he must have snapped several bones. Utterly spent, Riku had just enough time to register a red flame streaking toward him before falling into darkness.

"…seems to be suffering from a severe case of magical exhaustion, as well as several broken bones. Those were easily mended, however. He should awaken after enough of his power has recovered for him to function magically. And you say you found him on the grounds yesterday?"

"Yes, Hagrid brought him in from the forest. It is most curious… Alas, I will have to wait for our stranger's tale until after I have taken care of some pressing matters resulting from yesterday's events. Please continue to keep our visitor in the isolation ward. And Severus, if you would stay as well? I would like to be notified when he awakens."

"Yes, headmaster" an irritated voice answered.

As Riku slowly swam back to consciousness he listened carefully to the conversation around him. Due to the black band around his eyes, as long as he didn't move none of his watchers would know he was awake. However, that didn't mean he couldn't observe them. The room he was in seemed to be some sort of hospital. The man that was here earlier was addressed as "headmaster" so he may be in a school of some kind. In the room with him were two people. One of them waved a stick over him a few times and bustled out of the room. There was a single door, in front of which stood the room's last occupant.

Riku pondered his options. He still felt weak, but was confident that he could at least summon a corridor of darkness to leave this world. His black coat hadn't been removed, though someone had lowered his hood, so he could safely traverse the Realm of Darkness. However, there was the matter of that music… Riku was convinced that the source of it was this world. Unfortunately, curiosity would have to wait. Riku knew that Diz waited anxiously for a report on the nexus. He also needed to make sure that the situation with Roxas hadn't gone critical yet. After ensuring he still had time before confronting the nobody, maybe then he would return here, hopefully less conspicuously.

His decision made, Riku lied in wait until his guard began pacing the room. The man walked right past his bed and Riku made his move. In one swift motion he leapt from the mattress and knocked out his observer with a quick blow to the head. As the man crumpled to the floor, Riku raised his arm and a familiar pool of dark energy appeared in front of him. Taking one regretful view of the room, the dark warrior pulled up his hood and stepped through.

'_What is this!?'_ Riku stood in the Realm of Darkness, a look of sheer frustration on his face. He had tried to open a portal to Twilight Town, only to find himself blocked by an unseen force. Annoyed, he tried to return to Hollow Bastion, but met the same result. A growl of anger slipped through his normally cool composure. It was as if an invisible barrier had sprung up between this world and the rest, preventing anyone in either realm from passing through. _'That can't be though! I was able to get here after all' _the teen thought to himself. _'If there was a way in, then there must be a way out.'_ However, after several more failed attempts, Riku realized it was a lost cause. _'I've tried everything I could think of. I'll bet not even the Heartless or Nobodies could cross this barrier…' _Exasperated, Riku turned to go back the way he came. _'I know there must be a solution to getting around this barrier, but I'm not gonna find it here. The only people who might be able to help me are back there.'_

Riku reappeared in the hospital room to a most bizarre sight. The woman from earlier was waving her thin stick over the man Riku had knocked out, who was apparently floating in midair! Given some of the strange things he had seen on his travels, Riku wouldn't have thought he'd be bothered by this. He supposed it was just the sheer unexpected-ness of it that took him aback. Then the woman turned on him.

"Just what did you think you were doing, young man?" She berated. "Sneaking out of bed in your condition, why, it's the height of stupidity! And I don't even want to know what happened to Professor Snape. Now take down that ridiculous hood and let me examine you."

Before Riku could really process what was going on, the irate woman was shooing him into a chair, as the bed was occupied by the unconscious man, who Riku now knew as Professor Snape. The woman, who was almost certainly some kind of doctor, then began waving her stick at him, muttering incoherently under her breath about the recklessness of youth.

"Well you're recovering remarkably well for someone who's experienced magical exhaustion to such a high degree. Time always is the best remedy for these sorts of things, I suppose. And you were likely in that forest for quite a while before they found you." Apparently satisfied with him, the medic crossed to the other man. "He has likely sustained a mild concussion; that was quite a knock you gave him" the woman turned to him briefly before continuing. "Not much I can do about that though. He always prefers to heal himself anyway, ah well._ Renervate_."

With a flash of light from the stick, the man took a sharp intake of breath, his eyes snapping open. The professor stood up and surveyed the room, lips narrowing slightly when he noticed Riku in the corner.

"I shall alert the headmaster." With that he swept from the room, robes billowing behind him. Riku, for his part, watched this brief exchange with mild curiosity. Apparently the healer's stick functioned as some sort of wand.

'_Perhaps she's a magician'_ Riku thought to himself. _'Well, if I'm going to be here a while I might as well figure out where it is I've ended up.' _After several minutes of silence, Riku turned to the doctor. "So where am I?" He queried.

"You are in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" a new voice answered. "And I must say your arrival is most curious." A different voice answered.

Riku turned to face the new sound and was momentarily stunned. The man before him was old. He had a long flowing beard and eyes that were hidden behind a pair of half-moon spectacles. There was also an unusual bird perched on his shoulder. More remarkable than his appearance, however, was the aura he gave off. The man seemed to radiate light itself, similar to that which Riku had sensed pouring off of Sora in droves. However, unlike Sora's, this light was matured. Where Sora exhibited almost childlike innocence and happiness, this man projected a sage's wisdom and assurance. But above all, there was an overwhelming sense of power, power that was tightly controlled and used cautiously.

Then the strange bird gave a single trill. Riku immediately turned his attention to it, his mouth hanging slightly open in surprise.

'_The music…!'_ No sooner had he thought this than the bird had left its perch on the old man and glided over to rest on his knee. As it gave another trill, Riku began calmly stroking its head with a gloved hand. The bird, whatever it was, seemed to fill his whole being with a warm confidence. The weight that had been present on his heart ever since he let Ansem in seemed to lighten.

"Curious, most curious" the sage seemed to mutter to himself. Then he turned once again to Riku. "If you would come with me, young man, I believe we have much to discuss."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Wizards and Phoenixes

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kingdom Hearts.**

"This is most fascinating news you bring, my boy. Other worlds… who would believe it?"

"That's rather the point, headmaster. You see, the worlds are supposed to remain separated from one another so that each does not interfere with the affairs of the others. The stability of all the worlds is then protected by a series of guardians, of which I am one, who have the power to traverse between them. The problem, however, is that this particular world seems to have been sealed against all my usual means of transportation, rendering me stranded here."

Riku had just finished giving a severely edited explanation of his arrival here and of the worlds at large. Dumbledore was looking extremely dubious by the conclusion of Riku's tale, but also thoughtful.

"And I assume you believe that I will be able to lend some aid to solving this conundrum?"

"I would think so. I have already observed this world to have very different ways of using magic than most others I've encountered. I believe that may be the key to both why the barrier exists, and how to get through it. As I am unfamiliar with your magic, I will need the assistance of someone who is."

They spoke lightly, but Riku could tell the headmaster was treading very cautiously. As Riku spoke, the other man began staring intently at Riku's blindfold, almost as if he was attempting to see into it. Apparently, whatever Dumbledore was trying to do failed, for he then began to subtly angle his wand until it was aimed at Riku's head, leaning forward as he did so. Noticing his actions, the teen tensed his muscles, prepared to move as soon as the old wizard spoke an incantation. However, Riku did not anticipate what happened next.

Suddenly, Riku felt as if a foreign presence was assaulting his mind. The interloper had the feel of a hunter, carefully searching for his quarry. For a moment, Riku was completely stunned; then he was gripped by a fierce cold anger. A wave of dark energy exploded from the teen, throwing the old wizard back into his chair. In a flash of purple fire, Riku brought forth the dark blade of Soul Eater. Pointing it at the elder man, Riku spoke in a hard steely voice.

"Don't do that again."

A soft trill echoed in his ears. The mysterious bird had remained perched on his shoulder all throughout his discussion with Dumbledore. Upon hearing the sound, Riku's whole body seemed to deflate slightly. The rage that had briefly dominated his mind had vanished as quickly as it had come. Riku dismissed his sword and looked apologetically at the other man.

"I'm sorry" he said, resuming an even voice. "I've had… bad experiences with people invading my mind." Dumbledore himself looked as though he regretted his actions. Indeed, when he spoke it was with a burdened tone.

"I'm afraid the apology is mine to make, dear boy. You must forgive an old man for forgetting in these times of trouble that he does not govern the existence of all beings, especially those whom he barely knows." He offered a weak smile, and Riku noticed for the first time just how weary the man in front of him seemed to be.

"I guess I'm not the only one who's had it rough lately." At this a sort of deep understanding passed between the two men. Both seemed to recognize and respect the burden bared by the other, even if neither yet knew what it was. Dumbledore smiled again, a little wider this time.

"Well, Riku," the wizard said, using Riku's name for the first time. "I suppose we will both keep our secrets for now. Fawkes certainly seems to trust you so I have no problem doing so as well."

"Fawkes, headmaster?" Riku queried.

"The phoenix that seems to have taken quite a shine to you," Dumbledore answered, gesturing to the bird on Riku's shoulder. "I've found that phoenixes are far better judges of character than most humans. And I must say, I don't think I have ever seen Fawkes react so pleasantly to anyone else."This time Dumbledore's smile was full and genuine, as he gazed appraisingly at the white haired man in front of him. Seemingly reaching some sort of decision, Dumbledore stood up and crossed to one of the many strange instruments littering the office. When he continued, Dumbledore's voice was once again grave.

"These are indeed trying times, my boy, both for me and the entire magical realm. In our world, just as I'm certain it is in others, we have both good and evil. Recently, I have learned that the most evil wizard to ever walk the face of this earth is at large once more."

Riku stiffened at this. Even here, in a world cut off from the darkness of the heartless, or the amorality of the nobodies, even here there was evil. His expression darkening, Riku listened intently to the headmaster's words.

"Unfortunately, our government has refused to acknowledge his return. This has made the task of creating a force to oppose him solely my responsibility."

A twinge of uncertainty ran through Riku upon hearing this. He had a feeling he knew where this conversation was going. What he didn't know was how he would respond.

"What you have asked of me is no small deed. I'm sure you're aware that it may take a significant amount of time and effort from both of us, two things I will be hard pressed to find during these dark days. I believe, therefore that I have the right to ask something of you in return." At this Dumbledore turned from his odd device to stare directly at him. Riku had a feeling that, even though they were blindfolded, Dumbledore was looking directly into his eyes.

"The resistance to this dark lord is named the Order of the Phoenix. It is so named for the marvelous creature that sits on your shoulder. It is comprised of only those whom Fawkes has deemed worthy of taking up the fight against evil. By his actions he has deemed you worthy. I ask you now, Riku, will you aid us in our fight to restore peace to our world? Will you join the Order of the Phoenix?"

Time seemed to stand still as the two men stared at each other. Riku knew that the next words out of his mouth would shape the course of his life as long as he remained on this world. After a few moments of silence Riku, his voice oddly solemn, answered.

"I will."

Fawkes gave a trill of delight, flew one circle around Riku's head, and glided over to a perch. Albus was smiling at him. Riku got the feeling that this man needed all the help he could get if he was willing to trust a near-stranger. But then, Riku wasn't sure how definitive a phoenix was at evaluating one's character. The bird certainly seemed to be quite remarkable.

"Now," Dumbledore spoke again, his tone considerably lighter. "You will have to be brought up to speed on our previous affairs with Voldemort, that is the name of our enemy, as well as how to use magic in our world. Madam Pomfrey's examination of you proves you'll have the ability to do so. We'll also need a cover story explaining your presence, as I'm sure you don't want the knowledge of other worlds leaking beyond this room." As he spoke Dumbledore gave his wand a flick. A few moments later, the doors of the office opened and several books floated in. "I assume you will be able to read these with your…" Dumbledore seemed at a loss for words as he gestured towards Riku's blindfold. The teen let out a slight chuckle.

"Yes, I'll be able to read just fine. My vision is a most interesting concept, actually. I don't "see" as you or other people do. I have a sort of sense that takes in all available information about an area and feeds it to my brain. I can pick out the smallest details that no naked eye could see. My vision even manages to pick up the marks of writing on a page. The only thing it can't do is show color," Riku finished with a smile. He was quite proud of his extra sense. After he discovered Ansem was using his vision to heighten Riku's dark powers beyond his control, Riku had been forced to wear a blindfold to keep his inner darkness in check. However, it had caused Riku's other senses to heighten and blend with his magical abilities to create what Riku now called his second sight.

Dumbledore looked utterly fascinated by Riku's explanation and clearly wanted to know more. He seemed to put his curiosity on hold, however, in favor of more pressing topics.

"Very well. I would advise you to read the first few chapters of _Magical Theory_, as I believe it will help you understand our brand of magic." The headmaster pointed to one of the large texts. "Once we procure you a wand I will begin your tutelage in spellwork. Until then…" Dumbledore paused, seemingly struck by a new idea. He crossed to a cabinet behind his desk and removed a small book, placing it on the desk next to the others. "You say you've had trouble with mind invasion?" Riku nodded, not quite sure where this was going. "There are few forms of our magic that can be performed without a wand, which acts as a natural conductor. One that can, however, is the art of Occlumency, which explores the defense of one's innermost thoughts."

Riku was now very interested. Never, on any of the world's he'd visited, had he encountered anything that could possibly help him guard his mind. The potential for him was enormous, and Dumbledore had noticed his excitement.

"I take it this is something you'd wish to pursue?" At Riku's nod the headmaster clapped his hands together. "Excellent. This book is my personal journal on the subject. There are no textbooks that teach it, as it is a fairly obscure discipline. In order to read it you must speak the password "Turkish delight" before opening it. I shall teach you the basics over the next few days and then leave you to your own instruction. By then we should have you a wand and a believable cover story. But for now, let us discuss Voldemort."

/

Albus Dumbledore gave a contented sigh after escorting the newest addition to the Order of the Phoenix to his temporary sleeping quarters. The two men had spent the last several hours discussing Voldemort, the Ministry of Magic, and Harry Potter. Albus had told the white haired teen no more about Harry than he had the other members of the Order: that Harry had an unusual connection with Voldemort due to the backfiring curse that destroyed the Dark Lord's first body. However, the old wizard found talking to Riku to be quite a refreshing experience. The teen was clearly wise beyond his years, and also shouldered a great burden.

For this reason, Dumbledore couldn't help but feel a strange kinship to the young man. His volatile reaction to the legilimency probe certainly demonstrated great power. It also served to remind Albus that he did not have the right to hold himself superior to the will and actions of others simply due to his wisdom and power.

Those that allied with him often treated him based on his reputation, blindly following every order and idea of Albus Dumbledore, the man of many titles. Their respect for him made them hesitant to challenge him on any decision. Yet here was a man who knew nothing of his deeds, who was a complete stranger not only to him, but to this world! It was rather sobering to speak to someone who didn't expect him to solve all their problems alone.

During the last war, Dumbledore had been a crumbling man. There had been no prophecy, no grand plan like the one he now had. The entire world had expected him to singlehandedly put an end to Voldemort's evil. Others had fought, certainly, but none were able to even slightly mitigate the onslaught of death and destruction. Albus had stood alone. Now Voldemort had risen again, and there was another war to be fought. The aged wizard knew that once more, the duty of fighting the Dark Lord would fall to him and him alone. However, the offworlder's arrival had ignited a twinge of hope within the old man. Perhaps he wasn't so alone after all.

/

Riku lied calmly on his bed, thumbing through the journal the headmaster had given him. A lot had happened in the past few hours. Somehow, he had become stranded on some mysterious world, and now he'd been sucked into a huge war on said world. According to Dumbledore it will probably be months before a solution is worked out, months! He couldn't afford to be out of action that long. Namine was counting on him. _Sora_ was counting on him…

Unfortunately, there wasn't much he could do about the situation. Dumbledore had agreed to help him if Riku agreed to help him with his war. However, Riku couldn't possibly impress upon the wizard the importance of getting him out of here, not without giving away too much information. Riku had been very careful with what he said to the headmaster. He had mentioned nothing of the Keyblade, nor had he spoken of the Nobodies and their mysterious Organization. The teen chuckled to himself.

'_I called myself a guardian of the worlds. HA. Perhaps if I wielded a Keyblade that might apply. Sora certainly functioned as one during the heartless crisis. As of now, I'm just a nobody. You could say I'm the biggest nobody of them all.'_ Riku paused as he reflected on his words to Xion after their battle. It all seemed so far away now. _'I wonder if I'll ever get out of here.'_

His predicament wasn't all bad though. Riku was thrilled at the thought of learning a new form of magic, one that was held by nobody else he had ever come in contact with. He was especially excited at the prospect of defending his mind. As he drifted off to sleep, Riku attempted to practice what the journal called "clearing the mind", purging his head of all conscious thought. This proved rather difficult, however. Over and over Riku saw the faces of Sora, Kairi, Namine, Roxas, and so many others drift before his mind's eye. It was with a rather demoralizing sense of loneliness that the teen finally found slumber.

/

The headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry paced his office well into the night. His face exhibited the look of one who had spent a long time deep in thought. Eventually he halted; turning to the room's only other occupant.

"What is it you have planned for young Riku, Fawkes?" The bird's only response was to leap from its perch and fly gracefully around the room before landing again. Dumbledore was confused for a moment. Until he saw a single brilliant red tail feather float slowly onto his desk.

**A/N: I rather enjoyed writing this chapter. When I came up with the idea for this story I couldn't help but be intrigued by all the possible interactions between Dumbledore and Riku. Both intentionally put a lot of weight on their shoulders and I think Dumbledore in particular wishes he could share his load. Also, what do you think of my description of Riku's vision? We're never really given an explanation of it in the games. I just always assumed that he had some kind of "other sense" that enabled him to see. Thoughts? Comments? Constructive criticism is always welcome.**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Among the Order

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kingdom Hearts.**

The castle of Hogwarts turned out to be one of the most interesting places Riku had ever visited. In sharp contrast to the cold and empty feeling of Castle Oblivion, Hogwarts seemed to be full of life and light. When Riku first arrived, the school term had not yet ended. After only a few days, however, the students had packed their things and departed from the castle, leaving its torch lit halls mostly abandoned. This was greatly appreciated by Riku, who could now wander the ancient building without fear of detection.

In addition to exploring the castle, Riku also spent a significant amount of time training. The wide grounds provided more than sufficient area for him to practice his swordsmanship, as well as sharpen his hand-to-hand combat skills. Riku was very careful, however, to not allow his darkness to filter into his training sessions. Only by night, certain he could not be seen, did Riku dare hone his dark powers.

Then there were his meetings with Dumbledore. During their discussions both men discovered more and more things about the other. Riku learned that his initial impressions of the wizard were mostly correct. He was indeed wise and powerful. Sometimes, though, there was a flicker of a man beyond the wise and powerful, a man filled with deep regret. Despite his youth, Riku found that he could greatly relate to the headmaster. He certainly had no shortage of mistakes to feel regretful about.

Beyond the personal, what was discussed was no less interesting than the men that discussed it. Before long, Riku was completely enraptured by the magical world. Never, in all the worlds he'd visited, had he seen anything like this; an entire society of magical beings, what an extraordinary discovery. The more Dumbledore told him about this strange world, the more he wanted to learn. This desire was only augmented by Riku's Occlumency training.

Occlumency turned out to be incredibly difficult for him. The burdened teen was forced to look at every painful memory, every horrible decision, and let go the terrible feelings that were attached to them. The more he faced them, however, the less painful they were to look at. After several days of hard practice and meditation, Riku began to see his first signs of progress.

_He was on Destiny Islands, lying on the beach. The sound of the waves upon the sand filled his head with peace…_

"You have improved." Dumbledore withdrew his surface legilimency probe and Riku exited his meditative state. "A cursory scan of your mind only gave me a vague desire to see the ocean." The headmaster smiled at the teen. He had advanced remarkably considering the short time he had had to learn. "Just remember, you still have a long way to go before you are able to withstand an active assault."

"Thank you, professor," Riku responded. "How is my cover identity coming along?" The two of them had spent more than a small portion of their conversations concocting a believable persona for Riku to adopt. They had decided that he would be a member of a mysterious cult from another continent called " North America". His "parents" were both deceased. His father had been another cult member, dying from a rare disease, while his mother would be a British "squib" (Riku still wasn't quite sure what that meant) that was killed by Voldemort during the last war, thus giving him motivation to join the Order.

"Oh nearly completed now," Dumbledore said in a business like tone. "I have had to call in several favors from a few friends on the International Confederation of Wizards, but it is done. We, or rather I, have decided on the surname "Strife" for you to use during your time here. It is fairly nondescript, but unique enough to fit into the back story we're trying to establish."

Strife. Riku turned the name over in his head. He supposed it described him well enough, seeing as how inner conflict has been a near-constant for him these past few years.

"Riku Strife. That will work just fine, I think," The teen stated succinctly.

"Excellent. Now, I have just received a letter from Mr. Ollivander, the wandmaker, that your wand has been completed. For a normal witch or wizard wands are tried one by one until a proper match can be found. In your case, Fawkes," the phoenix gave a chirrup, "has donated one of his own feathers for the making of your wand. I have very little doubt that this wand will fit you perfectly. We will, however, have to make a trip to Diagon Alley today to confirm my speculations."

"Sounds good; anything else?" Riku queried.

"We have finally finished the process of setting up a headquarters for the Order. I believe you should relocate to there for the time being, at least for the summer. Hogwarts, while reasonably secluded, has far too many third parties traversing its halls and it would raise many awkward questions if your presence were to be discovered. Also, it will put you in closer contact with the Order, allowing you to become a more active participant. In the increasingly likely event that we are not able to send you home by the time the school term begins again, we may want to consider the possibility of enrolling you as an auditor to a few classes. Since my time will soon become rather precious, it is likely you will have to find other means to expand your magical knowledge. That is, of course, assuming you still wish to do so?"

Riku gave a nod to the affirmative as he digested this information. He knew he would be spending a while in this place, but to hear it put so matter-of-factly… Unbidden, another wave of loneliness washed over him. Who knows what was happening to Sora and Roxas and Namine without him there to keep the balance. The loneliness soon faded back into futility, which was becoming all too common a feeling lately. He was doing all he could. He just had to accept that.

Hours away from his musings Riku found himself inside a most peculiar shop, owned by a most peculiar man.

"Ah, Dumbledore, it has been far too long."

"Indeed it has, Garrick. I trust you are well?"

Riku watched with a guarded expression as the two men exchanged pleasantries. This place gave him a strange feeling, as if there were many creatures in the room assessing him. No, that wasn't right. They weren't alive exactly, yet still aware. In a way it was similar to the feeling he got from the Keyblade, when he had briefly claimed it from Sora.

"And this must be Mr. Strife." The wandmaker turned his pale eyes to Riku. The teen fidgeted a bit under the man's gaze. He seemed to be probing him the same way that what Riku assumed were the wands did.

"I must say your request was most unusual, Dumbledore. However, the opportunity to work with your fabulous phoenix again was simply too tempting to pass up."

"Of course, Garrick. It was, after all, Fawkes who made the request rather than me. I must admit, though, I am curious as to what the relationship of this wand will be to the others." Dumbledore's tone was mild but Riku could sense that this was a topic of great importance to the wizard. Ollivander, on the other hand, seemed to view the question as purely academic.

"Ah yes. As a matter of fact there will likely be little to no relationship at all. You, of course, are aware that phoenixes are incredibly rare, as is the connection of the twin cores that our dear Mr. Potter shares with He Who Must Not Be Named. One would think that that would make phoenix wands themselves exceptionally rare, since there are so few phoenixes that donate feathers, as well as making the connection of the twin cores fairly common among phoenix wands. The answer lies in the phoenix rebirthing process." Riku was listening intently to the wandmaker's explanation. Dumbledore's phoenix was, so far, the most fascinating aspect of this strange world. He hoped the other man would elaborate further.

"Yes, there is still so much about that incredible process that we do not yet understand. Now, the two feathers Fawkes had previously donated were given during the same cycle of life so therefore the wands were "born" from the same creature. However, on its Burning Day a phoenix will discard its current form and be reborn as one remarkably new. Even the phoenix's magic, as I'm sure you know, will evolve into something completely different." Dumbledore gave a nod to the affirmative and the now enthused Ollivander continued.

"Now, it is in this aspect of the phoenix rebirth that we find our answer. You see, the twin cores connection is so rare because typically, phoenix donors will bequeath only a single feather each life cycle. And during the Burning Day a phoenix's magic is made entirely different. Thus, the magic produced from the wands is entirely different. Fascinating, isn't it?" The man finished with a smile.

"Indeed. I must confess I had never considered that the shifting of phoenix magic would have an impact on the wands created from it. I suppose I would have known sooner had Fawkes donated feathers more frequently. Nevertheless, this is most intriguing." Riku had to agree. The more he heard about phoenixes, the more amazed by them he was. They seemed to have an almost mythic power, power so vast that they could control even life and death. Riku was snapped from his thoughts as the wandmaker turned to him again.

"And now let us see if this wand you've requested will suit young Mr. Strife here." From within his robes Mr. Ollivander drew a long, dark stick. "This is a particularly fine wand, I must say. Black pine, fourteen inches, a tad longer than one usually sees, unyielding… A powerful wand to be sure." He eyed the wand for a moment then pressed it into Riku's hand.

The effect was instantaneous. Riku felt what seemed like an electric charge vibrate up his arm. At the same time a fountain of crackling sparks burst from the end of the stick. Riku then felt an almost peculiar warmth run through his body. His senses, which had previously been probing the entire room, now zoned in on the wand in his hand. He felt its awareness, and its own senses resonated with his. Immediately, Riku developed a bond with this thing he was holding. He knew, without a doubt, it was his.

"Good show!" Ollivander exclaimed. "Well Dumbledore, I suppose your phoenix had the right idea. Mr. Strife," he faced Riku for the third time. "May this wand serve you well." The man smiled and shook his hand firmly. Dumbledore paid for the wand and he and Riku apparated away, a sensation Riku was still adjusting to. The teen knew he would have many new questions for Dumbledore when they next spoke.

/

Riku prodded the barrier in front of him frustratingly. He could feel the all encompassing emptiness of the Realm of Darkness. He knew that this place was the gateway to all worlds, all places. Yet no matter how much he knew that, he could. Not. Get. Through.

"_Reducto!"_ The dark warrior shouted angrily. The barrier appeared to simply absorb the spell, and was no less impassable afterwards. "Argh!" Riku exclaimed, running his hands through his white hair in annoyance. Three days had passed since he purchased his wand, and the teen had taken to this new brand of magic instantly. After only a couple hours of practice, Riku could consciously channel his power into his wand. In actuality, it wasn't much different from the magic he was already able to do. It was simply a matter of focusing the energy into a much more specialized form, which varied according to the spell being casted. Upon mastering this principle, Riku had immediately looked up several spells capable of blasting through objects, hoping to find a quick solution to his problem. This turned out to be fruitless.

Ceasing his efforts, Riku opened a corridor of darkness and returned to Order headquarters. Another curious thing Riku had discovered was that the barrier, while severing this world from the rest in both realms, did not restrict or alter the principles of the Realm of Darkness within the world itself. As a result, Riku could still use his dark corridors to travel to other locations in this particular world, just not outside of it. According to Dumbledore, this would be an incredibly useful tool because it allowed him to bypass most of the various protections and enchantments used by the wizards and witches of this world. The headmaster had advised him that it would be wise to keep this particular ability under wraps from the rest of the Order, however, as it would raise several awkward questions.

So here Riku stood, in an empty room inside Number 12 Grimmauld Place, door locked. His room, much like the rest of the house, felt dingy, old, and creaky. In this sense it reminded him greatly of the Twilight Town Mansion. Except, as he was annoyed to discover, the bed was several inches to short for his considerable height. He would have to ask Dumbledore if there was a way to stretch it out later. Another difference was that this house seemed to be infested with its own zoo of pests and parasites. Indeed, Riku had nearly been bitten by all manner of odd creatures. Worse than that, though, was the apparently animated portrait in the front hall, whose sole desire seemed to be to burst the eardrums of everybody in the house.

"Believe it or not she was worse in real life." After an outburst from the portrait, Riku had gone downstairs to try and shut the thing up, only to be met by the owner of the old house, Sirius Black. "Gosh I hate being cooped up in this old place again." Sirius cast a mournful look around the kitchen. "This house just makes me feel trapped, unable to do anything." Riku watched as the man rambled on, sipping a bottle of some liquid. He couldn't help but empathize with the other man, for that was exactly how he felt about this entire world.

"Perhaps you'll get an assignment at the meeting tonight." Sirius jerked, as if he had just realized there was someone else in the room with him.

"I doubt it. I'm wanted by the Ministry, you see. I was framed for a crime I didn't commit." A twinge of bitterness entered Sirius's voice. "You want a butterbeer? They're not that strong." He asked, attempting to lighten the mood.

"Sure," Riku accepted out of politeness. Sirius got up and opened a bottle from the cupboard. Sliding it to Riku, he took another sip of his own drink before continuing.

"So, Dumbledore wants me locked up in here to keep me _safe._" Black spat the last word as if it was a horrible disease. "Of course, with Dumbledore's fidelius in addition to all the enchantments my father put on this place it's probably the safest house in all Britain. Still…" Sirius continued to ramble, talking more to himself than Riku. Taking a sip of his own drink, Riku's mind began to wander to other things. Tonight was the first full meeting of the Order of the Phoenix. In spite of himself Riku couldn't help the small thrill of excitement that passed through him. Although talking to Dumbledore and learning magic was interesting, Riku was still a warrior at heart. The prospect of being an integral part of a war effort, even one he had no stake in, was nothing short of exhilarating. This was the kind of adventure he had craved while on the islands.

"_And yet,"_ he thought to himself, _"I'd trade all the adventure in the world just to go back to those islands."_

Eventually, the other members of the Order began to trickle in. A few introduced themselves to him and Riku tried to remember some of the names. There was a ragged looking man named Lupin who sat down on the other side of Sirius, then a large family with lots of kids accompanied by an obviously unrelated bushy haired girl, who immediately shooed the younger children upstairs (Riku wondered, perhaps, if they would be living here with him and Sirius). There was also a short haired woman who brightly introduced herself as Tonks and then, to Riku's astonishment, briefly changed her hair to his own considerable length, then back again. A heavily scarred man with a wooden leg and a strange eye entered the room staring suspiciously around the whole area, eyes lingering on Riku a moment, before plunking down in an empty chair with a grunt. All in all, there were about 40 or so people crammed into the kitchen. Riku had a feeling it was magically expanded. Last to enter were a scowling Severus Snape, who briefly glared at Riku, and an oddly solemn Professor Dumbledore.

Upon his arrival the whole room seemed to silence as everyone in the room turned their eyes to the headmaster. There was no trace of the worn and exhausted man Riku had seen on the night they met. He was all business. Now he understood why Dumbledore felt so burdened. Everyone else seemed to be in awe of him, to the point where they put all their hope and trust in him. And he could do nothing to challenge that image. In essence, he was trapped.

"Tonight, we embark upon a great and noble endeavor. Against our best efforts, the forces of darkness and evil have risen again to threaten the security we have enjoyed these past fourteen years. Truly I tell you, Voldemort has returned." At the sound of the name a collective shudder ran across the room. Riku found this quite absurd. "Each and every one of you has agreed to rise up, and fight against this evil. In doing so, you have taken a stand, a stand for light, a stand for peace. In this truth, we unite. I assure you, if we act together, we will push back the darkness to a place where it can never return." As the headmaster spoke, Riku was privately amused by the personal irony of his words. Here he was, a warrior of darkness, sitting on what amounted to a council of light. However, from the back of his mind he remembered the words of a friend, spoken so long ago, in Castle Oblivion.

"_Don't run from the light, and don't fear the darkness, because both will make you stronger."_

At the time, Riku had been focused entirely on conquering his darkness, but perhaps Namine had meant more than that… maybe he wasn't supposed to dwell purely in darkness. Mickey, Namine, even Diz, had all spoken of how light and darkness mingled uniquely within him, but he still had no idea what that meant! He had indeed been running from the light this past year, devoting himself to keeping his darkness in check. Maybe it was time to change that. Maybe this world could help him face his light.

"_Will you take the road to light, or the road to darkness?"_

"_Neither. I'm taking the middle road."_

"_You mean the twilit road to nightfall?"_

"_No, the road to dawn."_

**A/N: First off, thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorited this story. It really motivates a writer. One of the best things about HP fanfiction is that JKR left so many stones unturned in her world. In this chapter I got to explore a few of them a bit, particularly phoenixes and their relation to wands. As always, constructive criticism is welcome. **


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Hermione

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or Kingdom Hearts.**

"Kingsley should be a powerful addition to the Order. He's a high ranking auror who's close to Fudge. No doubt he'll be able to feed us info on the Ministry's actions."

Riku and Sirius sat in the kitchen sipping butterbeer. After the first meeting it had become a sort of nightly ritual. Initially Riku had just listened impassively to Sirius's rambling. Eventually, however, he began to discuss as well. Though Riku was hesitant to admit it, he would almost call the man a friend.

"Intelligence shouldn't be our primary concern right now. We have a man inside the Death Eaters, and from what you've told me the Ministry shouldn't be too hard to stay ahead of. No, our foremost problem is communication. With the government controlling the primary flow of information to the public, it makes recruitment very difficult. What we need is a reliable medium to distribute our message."

"I agree. The problem is that aside from the Daily Prophet I'm not sure if there is any information sources the general population would pay heed to. There's also the problem that we don't have access to anyone who could be safely fed the facts without digging too deep into Order business. This person would almost _have_ to be a member of the Order for it to work."

"Exactly," Riku stated succinctly. "The larger point is that we need to be more variable in who we are recruiting to the Order. Right now we have a handful of fighters, a couple of average workers, a curse breaker, a werewolf, and a crook. What we should be doing is getting more people like Bill and Remus, people uniquely able to hinder Voldemort through their specific position. We _especially_ need someone like this for the general community. I think we should pose the question at the next meeting, just to see if anyone knows of a fitting candidate. Any distributor, no matter how they are viewed by the public, is better than none."

Sirius pondered Riku's words. The teen made a lot of good points. Perhaps the Order was being too narrow-minded in who they selected to join their ranks.

"You may be right. If I could just get out of this house I'm sure I could find some way to…" Sighing resignedly, Sirius slumped back into his chair. "Ah whatever." Sirius took another sip of butterbeer. "So how goes the Patronus training?"

Dumbledore had given Riku a list of spells that he had to be at least proficient in before he could take active duty in the Order, one of which was the incredibly frustrating Patronus Charm. Though it singed his pride to admit it, Riku had finally encountered a piece of magic in this world that had stumped him.

"Don't ask," the teen replied shortly. "For some reason I can't channel my magic properly to generate the power needed for this spell. Add that to the fact that I'm still inexperienced with refining my magic at such a subtle level and you get a rather large river to cross."

"Well you know the Patronus is one of the toughest spells ever created. Many wizards, including several in the Order, can't pull it off successfully," Sirius replied reassuringly.

"I don't give up that easily, Sirius, I'll get it eventually. I just need to figure out what's blocking me."

"Well I wish I could help you but I haven't been able to perform a Patronus since I got out of prison." Sirius looked momentarily despondent. "I wish Remus were here; he was always the academic of the group. And Dumbledore is rarely around so I doubt you'll get much help from him. You could always ask Hermione Granger."

"Who?" Riku responded confusedly. He couldn't recall anyone by that name at the meetings.

"Hermione Granger. She's a friend of Harry's who's staying at the house, but she's an absolute genius. She probably knows more about spell theory than half the Order, depending on which half you measure," Sirius added with a chuckle.

"A child, Sirius? I hardly thing tutelage from a child will be of any use in my current predicament." The teen scoffed.

"Well you're not exactly brimming with white-haired wisdom yourself, erm…" Sirius trailed off as Riku pointedly ran a hand through his silver locks, a small smirk dancing on his face. "Look, all I'm asking is that you give her a chance. It's not like you have many other options."

Riku groaned as he leaned back in his chair, the stench of inevitability in the air. "Alright Black," he conceded sourly. "I'll think it over tonight while practicing, and if I can't make any progress in my block before morning, then to Hermione Granger I will go." With that the younger man rose from the table and marched to his quarters, determined to wipe that smug look from his companions face.

/

The next morning found an annoyed Riku making his way to the room Sirius told him Hermione was in. After spending the night fruitlessly trying to fix his Patronus problem, Riku decided to give in to Sirius's ridiculous idea.

"_Your goal is to get home, Riku." _He thought to himself. _"If you don't master this world's magic as fast as possible then you won't be able to help Dumbledore find a way to punch through that barrier. Come on, it's time to swallow your pride."_ He arrived at the door of the room, from which a female voice could be heard faintly arguing with someone else.

"I want to tell him what's happening as much as you do, Ron, but Dumbledore gave us specific instructions. We can't tell Harry anything that's going on with You-Know-Who or the Order."

"I know, Hermione, I know. But after seeing HIM come back you'd think Dumbledore would want him to know as much as possible, especially since You-Know-Who is probably still after him."

The female voice, who Riku presumed was Hermione, was silent for a moment before responding.

"I'm sure Dumbledore has his reasons."

Hesitantly, Riku raised his gloved fist to the door and rapped it three times. A few moments passed before anything happened. Riku used the time to school his features into a mask of indifference. The door opened revealing a tall boy only slightly shorter than Riku himself. Riku's senses briefly passed over him, instead focusing on the much brighter presence behind him. There was very little darkness in the girl Hermione that he could detect with his cursory scans. It seemed Riku caught her in a somewhat vulnerable moment, for he could also sense feelings of worry and fear that were quickly squashed upon his entry, slight puzzlement taking their place.

"I require a word with young Miss Granger, if she is not otherwise occupied." Passingly, Riku wondered when people only a few years his junior became "young Miss Granger." '_Spending all this time with Diz and Dumbledore has certainly aged me_' Riku thought amusedly.

"May I ask what it is about?" Replied Hermione evenly.

"A quick question on magical theory," Riku answered. "Sirius Black informed me that you had intelligence enough to satisfy my query." Apparently, Hermione had not been expecting this, for Riku detected a flicker of surprise from her. Her response, on the other hand, was tainted with what seemed to be a restrained eagerness.

"Er, certainly. I'll do my best to prove him correct." Hermione accompanied him into the hall while the other boy let them go with disinterest, seemingly uncaring when it came to discussions of magical theory. As they were walking, Riku continued to speak.

"As you may or may not know, I was not raised in your brand of magic. My instruction in the art was for a use far more blunt, more raw perhaps. And its purpose was far more combative. Now, since joining the Order I have attempted to school myself in what you call "wizardry," but I have run into several roadblocks."

Riku's speech was interrupted as they reached the door to his room. When they entered it was Hermione who spoke.

"So you want me to help you further understand the workings of magic, allowing you to more quickly grasp our enchantments?"

"From a general perspective, yes. But right now I have a much more specific purpose in mind, one involving the Patronus charm."

"You're attempting to master the Patronus!?" Hermione responded with surprise. "That's one of the most advanced charms ever made, and you're already trying to perform it? How could you possibly have the ability to do so with such a limited exposure to magic?"

"Well it is perhaps incorrect to say I have a limited exposure to magic in general. As I said before, I have already mastered my own form of magic, simply one that is much different than yours. I already understand the basic principles of channeling magic from your core into a more tangible form, a form that can then be expelled from your body. A medium of some sort also helps focus the raw magic into a more specialized function, hence your use of wands. And now we reach the crux of my problem: I do not have the knowledge needed to refine my magic into such a specific and concentrated form as the Patronus demands. This is where I need your help."

"Hmmm." Hermione seemed to digest his words for a moment. However, Riku could feel her enthusiasm at being presented with such a complex challenge.

'_Perhaps Sirius was right.'_

"You're sure it's a refinement issue?" Hermione finally answered. "Manipulating your magic into the correct form is usually something that comes with simple practice, like any other skill. Have you considered other possibilities? When my friend was learning the charm, his difficulties lied in both the power needed to sustain this spell, as well as successfully transferring the feelings of happiness and joy required to create the Patronus into his magic. Either of these could be applicable to your situation."

Riku paused thoughtfully at her analysis. Power certainly wasn't the issue; he had ample amounts of that. The other however… What he had read in text had said the caster had to focus their mind on a happy memory. Riku had breezed over the notes on "happiness" and applied the same principles of focus that he used for Occlumency, trying bring his chosen memory into the sharpest clarity. But perhaps that WAS his mistake.

"Can you tell me more about the process of imbuing your magic with those emotions?" Riku had a sneaking suspicion he knew where this was going, but was waiting for Hermione's explanation to confirm it.

"Of course. Emotions almost always are involved in spells of a more powerful nature. Oftentimes a spell's purpose is mired in some sort of emotional feeling or idea. The emotion acts as a sort of fuel source, alongside your regular magical power. And like a binary solution, you can't have one without the other. A lack of either component will only result in failure. In order to draw on that emotional power, you must immerse yourself in that emotion, allowing it to mold every thought that runs through your head. This is what causes us to label many of our spells as either 'light' or 'dark.' If you frequently cast a curse that requires intense hate or anger to create, it won't be long before that emotion begins to dominate your thoughts permanently."

'_You have no idea' _Riku thought wryly before interrupting her speech. "So the memory that the book advises be brought forward is merely a centering device. Its use is to expedite the process of emotional immersion. Focusing on the memory itself, making the picture and events as clear as possible, does little to create the strong emotions needed to generate the spell… Miss Granger, I believe we've isolated my problem." Hermione was clearly ecstatic at his pronouncement, but Riku on the other hand was groaning internally.

'_Of COURSE the memory wasn't the important part. Magic ALWAYS has some kind of emotional component. It's a simple light and darkness equation again. Saturate the Patronus with light and it'll practically cast itself. The only problem is… do I have enough light to cast this spell?" _Behind his mask, Riku closed his eyes. Once again he was being forced to embrace his light. It shouldn't be such a problem for him to do so; it was simply learning a new skill. Except that facing his light would also force him to face all his doubts, all his insecurities; every vulnerable point he had would be exposed. And though Riku was loath to admit it, that terrified him.

"Excellent! So are you ready to try it?" Hermione's voice cut through his heavy thoughts like a sharpened sword. There was no time for doubts or uncertainty. He'd asked this girl here to help him, and he could feel the desire for confirmation of her theory simply pouring off her. Besides, he never was one to live in fear.

"I see no reason to put it off." Riku drew his wand and closed his eyes again. Taking a deep breath, he tried to purge himself of all the despair and darkness in his conscious mind. He thought of Mickey, and the friendship they'd shared. A small warmth entered his heart at the thought of his companion. The king had stayed with him through the deepest struggles, accepting Riku completely as he was, no conditions attached. He was one who truly lived in the light.

"Expecto Patronum!" A great cloud of silvery gas disgorged from his wand. Riku could feel the pull on his power to sustain the charm, but he could also feel the light in his heart. It was like a trickle of warm water seeping through his body, similar to the feeling he got when Fawkes was near, though not as powerful. The feeling continued to grow stronger, and for a moment the gas almost seemed to take shape. But then…

_You still fear the dark._

The attack was so unexpected that the teen dropped his wand in surprise, dissipating the gas of his Patronus along with his feeble light. Falling to one knee, Riku clutched his chest and quickly began beating back the dark parasite of Ansem. After a few moments he retreated again, allowing Riku to rise to his feet. It was only at this point that he remembered Hermione.

"My apologies. I was quite unprepared for the mental strain sustaining this spell requires. It is doubtful the same thing will happen again." Hermione looked unsatisfied with his response, lifting an eyebrow at his feeble explanation. Riku stared at her from behind his blindfold for a moment and sighed.

"Very well, I suppose someone of your intelligence should not be insulted with flimsy excuses. The reason for my reaction is due to a highly personal secret that I am not in the habit of sharing with young girl's I've just met." Hermione let out a small chuckle and Riku couldn't help but grin as well.

"You know it is highly unusual for one to admit they have a secret after circumstances clearly reveal that they are hiding said secret," Hermione finished with a smile.

"Well it is equally unusual to encounter an individual remarkable enough to respect the admitter's chosen nondisclosure." Now Riku was smiling as well.

"Why t-thank you, er…" Hermione paused, and the teen realized he'd never introduced himself.

"Riku. My name is Riku." He offered her another smile, this one with some amusement. Unless his senses were mistaken, Hermione was blushing at his compliment.

"Well, Riku, if you ever want to discuss the makeup of another spell, I'd be more than happy to talk. There aren't many others around here who enjoy Magical Theory enough to sustain a good conversation." The young witch's smile simmered to a look of soft appreciation. It was clear she had enjoyed their talk as much as he had. A mind as beautifully intelligent as hers was a rare thing indeed.

"Thank you, Hermione. I may have to take you up on that offer. But for now, why don't we see about some breakfast?"

**A/N: It occurred to me while writing the first part of her conversation with Riku that we rarely get to see Hermione in an emotionally neutral situation. She almost always knows the person, or has a preconceived idea of what she will find, exemplified by her initial interactions with Harry and Umbridge in books 1 and 5 respectively. However with Riku she really had no feeling whatsoever, at least until they started talking about deep magical theory. Thank you so much to everyone who's read this story, and especially to those who reviewed it. **


End file.
